The second report of the Society for the Treatment and Attendance of Poor Persons Afflicted with Diseases and Distortions of the Spine, Chest, Hips, &c.

  • Verral Charitable Society (London, England)
Date:
1841
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The second report of the Society for the Treatment and Attendance of Poor Persons Afflicted with Diseases and Distortions of the Spine, Chest, Hips, &c. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    already proceeded too far. It is, however, satisfactory to state, that in every case where the treatment has been adopted in a sufficiently early stage it has been eminently suc¬ cessful. The case of Eliza Vickars was mentioned in the former report. She had after that a relapse, in consequence, perhaps, of having got about too soon. She was obliged to return to her position, in which she persevered during the trial of a variety of other remedies. The consequence has been the restoration of her powers of moving and sitting, and the removal of all pain and tenderness, without the slightest distortion of the spinal column. Jane Smith, aged seventeen, complained, in November, 1839, when she first came under Mr. Chance’s care, of a constant burning pain in the lower part of the back, no cur¬ vature, but much tenderness experienced if the slightest pressure was made on the upper lumbar vertebrae—pain in the hip of the right side, and occasionally tripping with the right leg—inability to keep about, except for short periods—an almost constant sensation of a band of iron around the stomach, and general health fast sinking. The affection had been coming on about two years and a half.-By steady perseverance in the prescribed means, she gradually improved, and last Christmas being free from every complaint, she accepted a situation in the country. Martha Louisa Garratt’s was a case of incipient spinal disease with slight curvature. She was only two years of age, and the complaint had existed and been increasing for four or five months. The chest also was much contracted, the abdomen swollen, and the wrists and ancles much enlarged. There was tenderness of the slightly projecting bones. She was thin, feeble, unable to walk, and had great shortness of breath.'--A few months of repose in the prone position, with some remedies directed to the improve¬ ment of the general health, entirely arrested the progress of the disease, and obliterated every appearance of curvature. The case of John Tarrant, alluded to in the former Report, has also ended without curva¬ ture ; and the paralysis'with which it was attended is entirely removed ; but so attached is he to his prone couch that although he has long ceased to be considered a patient he cannot be persuaded at night to exchange it for a bed. Eliza Mead, aged eleven years.—July, 1838.—-Disease of the dorsal vertebree. Three or four bones exceedingly tender and painful, and two of them somewhat protruded. She could not stand upright nor walk but with great difficulty. The spine also had ac¬ quired a considerable lateral curve, so that the body, when standing, fell much to one side. She had long^been under medical treatment, and had for the last seven months been lying constantly on her back, but was weaker and the back more painful than when she began that system. She was pale, thin, and the appetite very bad. September 10.— The tenderness of the spine nearly gone, and the pain greatly diminished. The health also considerably improved. Some slight extension with gentle friction was now employed, in the hope of removing what remained of curvature.——This case steadily progressed towards a cure, and she has long been well, perfectly erect, capable of walking considerable distances, and the spine quite free from either posterior or lateral deformity. We may also mention here the case of Frances Morley. A diseased state of the dorsal bones, with great pain and tenderness, was rapidly producing a considerable cur¬ vature. Fortunately she attracted the attention of the Countess of Sheffield, who was solicited to give her admission to the Sussex County Hospital, but who placed her in¬ stead under the charge of the society, and benevolently watched the progress of the case.-In six months all appearance of disease has disappeared, and the curvature, arrested in its early progress, is too inconsiderable to have any effect upon her figure. Her general health has in the meanwhile been completely re-established. DISEASE OF THE SPINE WITH POSTERIOR CURVATURE. Some of those cases have been mentioned above as those of the most common occur¬ rence ; cases in which it has been impossible to perform a perfect cure, but in which the system pursued has been productive of the most beneficial results. A few cases of extraordinary interest we must record here. That of John Wilcox has been given in a little Appeal to the Public, published by the society eighteen months ago. The im¬ provements in a most formidable case have been so great, and that in so short a space of time, that we cannot but think it worthy of a place in this Report:— John Wilcox, aged eleven years, was seen by Dr. Verral, at Crakehall, in Yorkshire, on the 22d of July, 1838, and under his direction Mr. Spence, a respectable surgeon at Bedale, kindly undertook the superintendence of the case. He had then an immense posterior curvature of the cervical and dorsal vertebrae, with some lateral curvature of the lower dorsal and the lumbar bones. The body was in consequence much lowered b 2
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